Thursday, November 5, 2009

Sunday’s Open Door Reading Series

Sunday: Laura van den Berg and William Heath By Sonja Patterson

What do a Bigfoot impersonator, Loch-Ness-Monster-hunters, and a creature of the Congo forest have in common? If you answered “all are featured on the History Channel’s MonsterQuest,” you may be right, but the answer we were really looking for is that all are subjects in Laura van den Berg’s story collection What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us.Van den Berg, as well as Novelist William Heath, will be reading this Sunday, November 8th, as part of the Open Door Reading Series at The Writer’s Center. Heath, at first glance, seems to adhere to the Reading’s monster theme—his book is titled Blacksnake’s Path. But let’s be clear: His subtitle is “The True Adventures of William Wells.” Blacksnake was William Wells’ given Indian name when he was adopted by a village chief and raised as a Miami.

Based on extensive research, Blacksnake’s Path is called “one of the best books, perhaps the best book that describes the earliest, wild and bloody days of the American Midwest,” according to Jerry Crimmins, author of Fort Dearborn.

Van den Berg, on the other hand, “blends the mythological with the everyday, buoyant playfulness with lacerating sadness,” says Benjamin Percy, author of Refresh, Refresh and The Language of Elk. Her book was recently named a Barnes & Noble Discover Great Books pick.

We have something for everyone this Sunday—whether you like fantastical fiction, authentic history, or simply excellent writing. Join us!

November 8, 2009, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Open Door Reading SeriesLaura van den Berg reads from her story collection What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us, and William Heath reads from his novel Blacksnake’s Path. Free and open to the public. To read more about this event and upcoming events at The Writer’s Center, click here.